Hebe plant named ‘HL1805002’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Hebe  plant named ‘HL1805002’ that is characterized by its consistently healthy plants with very low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, its strong stems, its flowers that are white in color, and its floriferous blooming habit.

Botanical classification: Hebe hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘HL1805002’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Sep. 15, 2020, application No. 2020/2164. The Applicant received the information for the Plant breeders' rights application directly from the Inventor. This application is also co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Application filed for a plant derived from the same parentage that is entitled Hebe Plant Named ‘HL802005’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/743,865).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe, botanically of hybrid origin, known as Hebe ‘HL1805002’, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘HL1805002’. ‘HL1805002’ is an evergreen shrub grown for use as a container plant and as a landscape shrub.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. The goal of the breeding program is to select new cultivars of Hebe with improved plant health, compact plant habits, small leaves, abundant flowering, and self-cleaning flowers. The new cultivar arose from a cross made in October of 2017 between unpatented proprietary plants from the Inventor's breeding program; reference no. HM17-500 as the female parent and ref no. PM16-503 as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘HL1805002’ in September of 2018 as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in September of 2018 by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and tissue culture using meristematic tissue has determined the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar, which in combination distinguish ‘HL1805002’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe.

-   -   1. ‘HL1805002’ exhibits consistently healthy plants with very         low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew.     -   2. ‘HL1805002’ exhibits strong stems.     -   3. ‘HL1805002’ exhibits leaves that are small in size.     -   4. ‘HL1805002’ exhibits flowers that are white in color.     -   5. ‘HL1805002’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit.

The female parent of ‘HL1805002’ differs from ‘HL1805002’ in having a less compact plant habit, flowers that are purple in color that are less self-cleaning, and in being less floriferous. The male parent of ‘HL1805002’ differs from ‘HL1805002’ in having more susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, a more vigorous growth habit, flowers that are purple in color, and a shorter flowering period. ‘HL1805002’ can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Lilac Fantasy’ and ‘White Gem’ (both un-patented). ‘Lilac Fantasy’ is similar to ‘HL1805002’ in having light colored flowers. ‘Lilac Fantasy’ differs from ‘HL1805002’ in having a less compact plant shape, leaves that are lighter green in color, inflorescences that are slightly longer (more stretched) and are more pointed in shape, and flowers that are lilac in color. ‘White Gem’ is similar to ‘HL1805002’ in having white flowers and a floriferous blooming habit. ‘White Gem’ differs from ‘HL1805002’ in having more susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, inflorescences that are slightly longer (more stretched) and are more pointed in shape, and in commencing bloom later in the season. ‘HL802005’ is similar to ‘HL1805002’ in having disease resistance, plant habit, leaf size, and in being floriferous. ‘HL802005’ differs in having flowers that are intense purple in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosures and/or sales that fall within a one-year grace period to the filing date. Disclosures include website listings by All-Blooms, Vida Verde, and Floraxchange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hebe. The photographs were taken of a 7-month-old plant of ‘HL1805002’ as grown outdoors in a 12-cm container in Wezep, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘HL1805002’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences and foliage of ‘HL1805002’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hebe.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 12-cm containers in Wezep, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 5 weeks from summer into             autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Compact.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 15.5 cm in height (soil level             to top of foliar plane), 17 cm (soil level to top of floral             plane) and 22.6 cm in spread as a 7-month-old plant, reaches             an average of 60 cm in height and spread in the landscape.         -   Hardiness.—At least tolerant to U.S.D.A. Zone 8.         -   Diseases and pests.—Very low susceptibility to leaf spot             disease (Septoria veronicae) and downy mildew (Perenospora             ssp.), no susceptibility or resistance to pests has been             observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous to slightly fleshy.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings and tissue culture.         -   Root development.—3 to 4 weeks to initiate roots and 10             weeks to produce a young rooted plant.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch size.—Lateral branches are an average of 11.7 cm in             length and 2.5 mm in width.         -   Branch shape.—Round.         -   Branch color.—Young; 146D, internodes; 146B, tinged with a             blend of N186C and 187A, mature; 146B, tinged with a blend             of N186C and 187A, changing at the base to N186C.         -   Branch surface.—Moderately glossy, densely covered with very             short glandular hairs, 0.1 mm in length, matches surface             color.         -   Branch strength.—Strong.         -   Internode length.—Average of 1.2 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Held in an average angle of 50° to             vertical, average of 8 primary branches, 6 secondary             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrow ovate to oblong, slightly carinate to             moderately carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Single.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Parallel; only on main vein and two secondary             veins visible, upper surface; 147D, lower surface; 143A.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, slightly undulate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces smooth, glabrous, non-rugose,             very slightly glossy.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; a blend of NN137A and             NN137B, young lower surface; NN137D, mature upper surface;             NN137A, mature lower surface; 147D.         -   Leaf number.—An average of 12 per lateral branch 11 cm in             length.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 3.4 cm in length and 1.2 cm in             width. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Raceme.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 5.1 cm in height and 1.9 cm             in width.         -   Inflorescence lastingness.—About 7 days, self-cleaning.         -   Flower shape.—Campanulate.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower quantity.—Average 70 florets per inflorescence, 2,000             flowers per plant, 5,500 flowers and flower buds per plant.         -   Flower arrangement.—Axillary racemes.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward.         -   Flower size.—Average of 8 mm in height, 6 mm in diameter, 9             mm in depth, throat diameter 6 mm, flower tube length 3.5             mm, flower tube diameter 2 mm.         -   Peduncles.—Strong strength, 4.3 cm in length and about 1 mm             in diameter, 145A in color, held at about a 40° angle to             lateral branch, surface is very slightly glossy and densely             covered with very short glandular hairs; color an average of             0.1 mm in length, matches surface color.         -   Pedicels.—Moderately strong strength, average of 2.5 mm in             length and 0.5 mm in diameter, held at about a 45° angle to             peduncle, 145A in color, surface is very matte and densely             covered with very short glandular hairs an average of 0.1 mm             in length, matches surface color.         -   Flower buds.—Ovate to elliptic, 4 mm in length and 1.5 mm in             diameter, color; 157B, immature calyx 144B, surface is             matte, smooth and glabrous.         -   Calyx.—Rotate-shaped, average of 2 mm in length and             diameter.         -   Sepals.—4, 1 whorl, 2 mm in length, 0.75 mm in width,             narrowly ovate in shape, entire margins, arrangement;             rotate, acute tip, base cuneate and fused, surfaces dull and             smooth, color: when opening and fully open upper and lower             surface; 145A.         -   Petals.—Average 4, 1 whorl, obovate in shape, lower 54%, of             base fused, about 6.5 mm in length and 2.5 mm in width,             entire and slightly incurved margins, apex obtuse, upper and             lower surface is smooth and glabrous, non-rugose, both             surfaces very slightly glossy, color: upper surface when             opening; NN155D, lower surface when opening; NN155D, top             157D, upper and lower surface when fully open; NN155A,             throat NN155D, tube NN155D and NN155A.         -   Floral bracts.—A single bract is placed below each             individual flower, short oblong in shape, tip acute, cuneate             base, 2 mm in length, 0.75 mm in width, both surfaces             glabrous and 144A in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 6.5 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped,             5 mm in length, N170D in color, style; 6 mm in length and             NN155D in color, ovary; 143B in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens: 2, anthers; oblong in shape, 1 mm in             length, 0.5 mm in width and 166B in color, filaments; 5 mm             in length, color; 186B, base NN155A, pollen; none observed.         -   Fruit and seed.—None observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HL1805002’ as herein illustrated and described. 